One of the French Revolution’s most well
known orators. Called for the National
Assembly’s official mourning of Franklin (June
11, 1790).

Son of Victor de Riquetti, marquis de
Mirabeau, the famous physiocrat. Soldier in the
French service in Corsica.

Involved in various scandals that led to his
imprisonment on several occasions.

Identified as the anonymous author of Essaisur le despotisme (1775). Fled to Amsterdam
where he was arrested with his mistress, Sophie
de Monnier (1777). Imprisoned in the Donjon
de Vincennes (1777-80) where he wrote, Deslettres de cachet et des prisons d’Etat. Lost a
suit against his wife that led to their legal
separation.

Fled to London. With Franklin’s help, he
found a publisher for his work, Considérationssur l’ordre de Cininnatus, an expanded
translation of the American Aedanus Burke’s
pamphlet that Franklin had given to Mirabeau
along with his own critique the Cincinnati
(1784). His work, La Monarchie Prussienne
(1788), was highly praised.